Valve-packing.



S. M. PURINGTON.

VALVE PACKING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 1912.

. 1,083,857 Patented Jan.6,1914. I

WITNESSES INVENTOR G WQM JzYwJ/l. Ana/ aw I r ,4 TTOR/VE Y S SILAS 1VL PURINGTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VALVE-PACKING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 30, 1912.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914. Serial No. 674,319.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS M. P'URINGTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Valve-Packing, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in packing means, and particularly packing means for controlling valves either of the oscillating or rotary type which are used on engines or pumps. In the accompanying specification I have shown the same applied to an oscillating valve of cylindrical shape which is employed to control the movements of the slide valve of steam pumping engines.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a form of packing which will be associated with a valve in such a way as to make the same fit snugly at all times to its seat and totally eliminate leakage of steam or other fluid between said valve and the sides of the casing in which the same is contained.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which the same characters or" reference indicate the same parts in all the views.

Figure l is a vertical section taken longitudinally through a casing in which a controlling valve is mounted, a portion of the steam cylinder also being shown; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the arc-shaped sections which form the body of my improved form of packing.

On the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a steam cylinder of a pumping engine, and on the side of this cylinder is formed a projection 2, which serves as a base for a valve casing 3. This valve casing 3 is generally cylindrical in form, arranged transversely with respect to the cylinder 1, and on its top is a hollow projection 4, the mouth of which is closed by means of a cap or cover 5. Inside the casing 4 is a controlling valve 6,

this valve having a pair of cylindrical heads 7 at its opposite ends, these heads being connected by means of a preferably cylindrical shank 8, which is of smaller diameter than the head 7, and forms shoulders therewith at its ends.

The shank 8 has a longitudinal slot 8 therein, into which projects the end of a rocker arm 9, this rocker arm by its connection with the shank 8 in this way, causing the valve 6 to be oscillated around its axis and permitting the shank 8 and the valve 6 to move laterally with respect to the rocker arm 9, owing to the slot formed in the shank 8, as will be readily understood. The outer end of this arm extends into the space inclosed by the projection 4 and cap 5, and through the outer extremity passes a bolt 10, which engages the ends of a yoke 11, this yoke being formed upon the end of a rod 12, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The rod 12 extends through a suitable opening in the side of the projection 4, and when reciprocated it will cause the valve 6 to oscillate, as above described.

Below the shank 8 is a slide valve 13, the opposite sides of which are engaged by the shoulders formed by the heads 7 with the shank, this valve having a semi-cylindrical seat in its top to receive the shank and allow the same to be turned through a certain angle therein when the valve 6 is oscillated.

In the bottom of the casing 8 which rests upon the base 2 is formed a central space or recess 14, into which the slide valve 13 projects. Communicating with the recess 14 at each end thereof is an L-shaped passage 15 which registers with a passage 16 in each of the heads 7 of the valve 6, these passages extending from the cylindrical faces of the heads through the outer ends of the heads to provide communication between the space 14 and the spaces between the outer faces of the heads 7 and the ends of the casing 3. Passages 17 are also formed in the bottom of the casing 3, these passages extending straight through the bottom and communicating each with a passage 18 leading to a common port 19, which opens to the interior 20 of the slide valve 13. The space 14 is connected with a steam supply, and the space 20 inside of the slide valve is connected to the exhaust for a purpose which will appear later; and when the valve 6 is rocked or oscillated, the passages 16 will be brought into communication with the passages 15 and 17 in alternation. The upward-extending section of each of the passages 15 for each of the heads 7 lies in the same transverse plane as the adjacent passage 17, and the passage 15 at one end of the casing 3 and the passage 17 at the other end he in the same radial plane, while the remaining passages 15 and 17 lie in a different radial plane, as will appear from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2. As a result, when the valve 6 is oscillated, the passage 16 at one end will be in registry with the passage 15 at that end at the same time as the other passage 16 is in registry with the other passage 17 at the opposite end of the casing.

The upper faces of the heads 7 on the valve 6 are provided with circumferential grooves 21, into which are fitted the packing sections shown at 22. Each of these packing sections 22 is arc-shaped, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and there are to be two for each of the grooves 21. One member of each of the pairs of packing sections will be rabbeted from its inner curved face toward the outer curved face, and from one lateral face toward the opposite lateral face, forming a terminal projection 23. See, for example, the packing section shown at the left of Fig, 3. The other member of each pair will likewise be rabbeted from its inner curved face toward its outer curved face, and the outer curved face will have a longitudinal recess 22 formed along one edge thereof, forming a projection 23 and a shelf 23. This construction is illustrated on the packing section shown at the right on Fig. 3. This construction, when the two packing sections are fitted together, will cause the projections 23 on the members of each pair to slide past each other; and the projection on one will fit upon the shelf 23 of the other, the recess 22 of the other being of such dimensions as to receive the projection 23 on the first section snugly.

WV hen the packing sections are in position in the grooves 21, they will be held in distended relation by means of spiral springs 24 engaging shoulders formed by rabbeting the inner curved surfaces. This spring will lie under the shelf 23; and additional springs 25 are employed to force these packing sections radially outward from the axis of the valve 6. The additional springs 25 are mounted in pockets 26 in the heads 7 and the three springs for each pair of sections make a perfectly tight fit for the packing with the adjacent sides of the casmg. The packing sections when put into the grooves 21 of course fit the same snugly at the sides, and leakage around them is thereby prevented.

The function of the shelf 23 is to prevent the leakage of steam into the groove 21 from one side thereof and down under one of the projections and then up through the space between the projections 23, in case these projections should not fit closely together. The shelf 23 will at all times close up from below the space between the projections 23 of the packing sections, and as these packing sections will fit the grooves snugly on both their lateral faces, leakage of steam at the point between the packing sections will thus be obviated.

From an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be seen that the opposite ends of the grooves 21 are inclined, as shown at 27, and the opposite ends of the sections 22 are correspondingly beveled, as shown at 28. The valve'6 is arranged to fit the lower part of the interior cylindrical surface of the casing 3 snugly, as shown in Fig. 2, but a large section of the cylindrical surfaces of the heads 7 will be spaced from the upper interior part of the interior cylindrical surface of the casing 3, as shown by the broken line in Fig. 2. When the valve 6 is in position in the casing and the packing sections 22 are put into the grooves 21, the springs 25 will force the sections outward far enough to force them into tight contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the upper half of the casing, to prevent leakage over the upper portions of the cylindrical surfaces of the heads 7, when the valve is in operation. At the same time, the springs 24: will force the sections 23 apart, and the beveled ends thereof engaging with the inclined terminal walls of the grooves 6, will have a wedging action as it were, upon the heads 7, to force the body of the valve 6 downward and maintain a snug fit between the lower side of the same and the lower side of the interior of the casing containing it.

The wedging engagement of the beveled ends 28 of the sections 22 with the inclined ends 27 of the slots 21 in the cylindrical faces of the heads 7, I regard as an important feature of my invention. By this means the action of the spring 2% tends to prevent the body of the valve 6 from becoming unseated from the bottom of the casing 3, and thus allowing leakage of steam between the lower faces of the heads 7 and the lower part of the casing. At the same time, the action of the springs 25 will force the sections 22 bodily outward to a sufficient extent to make a close fit between the heads 7 and the interior surface of the casing 3, over a complete circumference. In consequence,

it makes no difference whether the valve 6 fits the casing With the greatest possible closeness when the body of the valve 6 is first put into position, or not; and any wear that is encountered in the course of the oper ation of the pump will be taken up by the packing sections, thus causing the body of the valve to fit the interior of the casing as tightly as required, as long as the same remains in use.

The manner of operation of the valve, and the especial utility of the packing means which I employ, will now be set forth. Then the arm 9 is at one end of its throw, steam will enter the space 14 and pass through the passage 15 shown to the left on Fig. 1, and through the passage 16 in the head 7 at the left of valve 6, into the left end of the casing. At the same time, the passage 16 in the head 7 at the right will be in communication with the passage 17 at the right through the base, allowing steam in the right end of the casing 3 to pass through the passage 17 passage 18 and port 19, into the space 20 on the interior of the slide valve 13, and out through the exhaust. The valve 6 therefore moves from left to right, owing to the expansion of the steam in the left end. In so moving, it carries the slide valve 13 with. it, and the passage of steam into the cylinder 1, to operate the piston therein, is thus controlled. lVhen the valve 6 is at the right-hand end of its movement it is oscillated by the arm 9 in the other direction, to bring the passage 16 at the left of the valve'6 into registry with the adjacent passage 17, and to bring the passage 16 at the right end of the valve 6 into communication with the adjacent passage 15. Steam now enters from the space 14 to the interior of the casing 3 at the right, and steam evhausts from the interior of the casing 3 at the left through the ports 17, 18 and 19, as in the former case. The valve 6 a now moves from right to left or back to its first position. The reciprocating movements of the valve 6 effect the required movements of the slide valve 13, to control the inflow and outflow of steam into the cylinder 1, in the manner required to operate the piston in the cylinder 1, and apply power to the pump which is to be worked.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, the utility and function of the packing sections 22, placed as shown on the upper portions of the cylindrical. faces of the heads 7, will be apparent. I have found that an arrangement of packing sections on a construction of the kind described gives very advanageous results in practice and overcomes all the liability to leakage and other defects which are encountered in working apparatus of this sort. The practical difliculties attending attempts to use cylindrical valves of the rotary or oscillating type are Well known. Valves of such a construction tend to bind when they become heated. If they fit their inclosing casings tightly this tendency is increased, and if they fit their casings loosely the question of leakage at once becomes serious. Ihave found that all difficulties of this nature can be overcome simply by mounting a valve such as shown at 6, in a casing 3, so as to fit the lower part of the interior surface of the casing 3, and rely upon packing sections mounted upon one side of the valve to make a fit of the necessary tightness over the entire circumference of the valve and casing.

The section of the circumferential surface of the heads 7 of the valve 6 in which the passages 16 are formed, and which is shaped to have a snug fit with the lower portion of the interior surface of the casing 3, is, of course, the. working face of the valve, be-

cause it is always in contact with the portion of the inner surface of the casing which forms its seat. The packing is designed not only to hold the valve snugly to its seat, but to prevent leakage around the body of the valve over the remainder of the circnmfer ential portions thereof.

I wish to have it understood that the embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is illustrative only, and that I do not wish to be restricted to the details thereof, except in so far as indicated by the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a valve having grooves in its peripheral surface, means for inclosing and seating said valve, packing means arranged in said grooves formed in sections, a spring arranged in said sections and tending continually to separate said sections, and means for giving said sections a tendency to move outwardly from said grooves.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a valve having grooves in its peripheral surface, saie grooves being formed with inclined ends, means for inclosing and seating said valve, a. packing member arranged in each of said grooves, each of said packing members being divided into sections having beveled ends co-acting with the beveled ends of said grooves so as to have a wedging action between the ends of the grooves and said inclosing means for causing the working face of said valve to have a snug fit with the means for seating the same, spring means acting on said sections for giving the same tendency to move out of said grooves transversely of the grooves, and a spring acting on said sections for causing the beveled ends of the valve to press against the beveled ends of said grooves.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a valve having an arcshaped groove in its peripheral surface, said groove having inclined ends, means for inclosing and seating said valve, a packing member arranged in said groove divided into sections, each of said sections having a beveled end locked in said groove, a spring located between said sect-ions for giving said sections a tendency to move substantially in a longitudinal direction whereby the beveled ends of the sections will engage the beveled ends of said groove whereby there is a wedging action between the inclined ends of said grooves and said inclosing means thereby causing the working face of said valve to have a snug fit with the means for seating the same, and a spring acting on each of said sections for causing the same to move substantially radially.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a valve having arc-shaped grooves in its peripheral surface, said grooves having inclined ends, means for inclosing and seating said valve, packing sections having beveled ends located in said grooves, and resilient means for extending said packing sections, the beveled ends of said packing sections having a wedging action between the inclined ends of said grooves and said inclosing means, to cause the working face of said valve to have a snug fit with the means for seating the same.

5. In a device of the character described, a pair of loosely articulated packing sections, each of said sections having a beveled end opposite the point of articulation.

6. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an arc-shaped packing section having one end beveled and having its opposite end rabbeted from one side face thereof and a second section formed with a tongue on one face adapted to overlap the adjacent end of the first section and rest in said rabbet.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a valve having a groove in its peripheral surface, means for inclosing and sealing said valve, packing means arranged in said groove formed in sections, said sections being articulated and each of said sections having a beveled end opposite the point of articulation, said valve having a beveled wall in said groove co-acting with the bevel on said sections, means arranged near the articulated end of said sections for tending to separate said sections and force the beveled end of said sections against the beveled wall of said valve, and means for tending to radially move each of said sections independently.

S. In a device of the kind described, the combinatlon of a casing, a valve mounted snug fit with the interior of said casing over a portion of its circumferential surface, and having a groove formed in the remainder of its circumferential surface to receive packing sections, the ends of said grooves being inclined, said packing sections having beveled ends to engage the inclined ends of the grooves and overlap at their adjacent ends, resilient means engaging the said adjacent ends to extend said packing sections, and resilient means carried by the body of said valve in position to force said packing sections radially outward, whereby the said resilient means will cause said packing sections through their beveled ends to have a wedging action upon the ends of the groove, to hold said valve against one side of said casing, and will also operate to force the sections against the interior of the casing over the remainder of the inside surface thereof, to give the said valve a close fit wit the interior thereof over the entire circumference of said casing.

9. In a device of the character described, an arc-shaped packing formed into sections, one of said sections having one end beveled and having its other end rabbeted from the inner curved face outwardly and from one side face toward the other side face for forming a reduced projection extending from the end of the section, and the other section having one end rabbeted from its inner curved surface toward its outer curved surface and having a longitudinal recess formed in the side of said rabbeted portion along the outer edge thereof whereby a notch is provided, and a web-like structure extending from the body of the section to the end thereof, said recess accommodating the reduced projection on the opposite section whereby the two sections provide a continuous body on one side as long as said reduced projection is co-acting with said notch in the opposite section.

10. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a valve having arc-shaped grooves in its peripheral surface, said grooves having inclined ends, means for inclosing and seating said valve, packing sections having beveled ends located in said grooves, and means for extending said packing sections, the beveled ends of said packing sections having a wedging action between the inclined ends of said grooves and said inclosing means, to cause the working face of said valve to have a snug fit with the means for seating the same.

11. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a valve having arc-shaped grooves in its peripheral surface, said 1 grooves having inclinedv ends, means for intherein, said valve being shaped to have a r closing and seating said valve, packing sections having beveled ends located in said grooves to engage the inclined ends thereof, and having their adjacent ends shaped to have interfitting engagement With each other, and means for extending said packing sections, the beveled ends of said packing sections having a Wedging action between the inclined ends of the grooves and said in- 10 closing means to cause the Working face of said valve to have a snug fit with the means for seating the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SILAS M. PURINGTON.

\Vitncsses WILLIAM F. NICKEL, PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS.

topics 01? this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

